Contraceptive app slammed after rise in unwanted pregnancies

A contraceptive app has come under fire after a spate of unwanted pregnancies have occurred.

The certified app is thought to be used by 120,000 individuals in Britain, but now medical professionals in Sweden have said Natural Cycles has caused a series of unwanted pregnancies.

Workers at a hospital in Stockholm are claiming that 37 women who used the £40 app fell pregnant in the last quarter of 2017.

‘It’s a new method and we see a number of unwanted pregnancies, so we are reporting this to the Medical Products Agency’, stated midwife Carina Montina.

Not familiar with Natural Cycles? Here’s the low-down.

Users are asked to measure their temperature first thing in the morning or before getting into bed each night using a two decimal basal thermometer – not a regular one used to detect a fever.

The Natural Cycles algorithm will then use the data to analyse the individual’s cycle to detect ovulation and fertility, revealing the days when protection is needed.

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A spokesperson for the company has come forward to comment on the claims.

‘No contraception is 100 per cent and unwanted pregnancies is an unfortunate risk with any contraception’, they told the Evening Standard.

‘If you have a popular form of contraception such as Natural Cycles, then you also have to expect a certain amount of unwanted pregnancies from users using this method. Our studies have repeatedly shown that our app provides a high level of effectiveness similar to methods that require a daily routine.’

The spokesperson continued by explaining how Natural Cycles wishes to play a part in helping women finding the right form of contraception.

‘There is a big trend that women move away from hormonal contraception, and Natural Cycles can provide a helpful option for these women. We therefore expect in fact to overall decrease the unwanted pregnancy rates because we increase contraceptive choice’, he continued.

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‘We don’t think it’s helpful to fuel the fear of contraception by scaring the public with abortion news – there is already a fear of hormones and if doctors or the general media add a fear of new types of certified contraception, which are clinically proven to be effective, there is really not much left to choose from.

‘Our goal is to increase contraceptive choice so that all women find a suitable method of contraception.’

Have you used Natural Cycles or a similar app before? Let us know in the comments!